Jeremy O. Harris walked free Monday after spending three weeks in Japanese custody following his arrest at Okinawa’s Naha Airport for allegedly attempting to bring MDMA into the country.
The Tony-nominated playwright and actor was detained on November 16 when customs agents reportedly found 780 milligrams of MDMA in his tote bag, according to a spokesperson for Okinawa Regional Customs.
Harris, 36, was not formally charged and has since been released, his representative said. The writer of “Slave Play” plans to remain in Japan to continue research for a future project.
Before his arrest, Harris had been preparing to attend the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia to promote his indie road movie “Erupcja,” which features Charli XCX. His scheduled appearance was canceled after his detainment.
Japan is known for its rigid drug laws, with even minor drug offenses often leading to prolonged detention and legal consequences.
In a high-profile example, Paul McCartney was arrested in 1980 for marijuana possession and subsequently banned from the country for years.
Harris rose to prominence with the provocative Broadway hit “Slave Play” and has since expanded his reach into television, portraying fashion designer Grégory Elliot Duprée on Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.”
He’s also appeared in HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl” reboot and FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows.”